Mandolins #2 and #3

I've spent several hours already smoothing out the tool marks on both the backs and tops, and tonight I started carving the recurve in the back of #2. My 3 head sander that I got for Christmas has been a big help in smoothing the toolmarks. It's a real advantage with the tops especially- with the sides already attached and the F holes already cut, I had a great deal of difficulty smoothing and thinning the top with my scraper and sandpaper. I think this tool will save me a lot of time and headache. Here's a link, you can get it at Sears- http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00911633000

I really should make a template for carving the recurve, I'm still using a pretty slow method. I set my calipers to .625" (5/8") and make a pencil mark about every 1/2" all the way around the back, to use as a guide mark for my scraper. Once this is scraped off, I have to go back and make the marks all over again. Once I've done this 7 or 8 times, the shape of the recurve is prominent enough that I can carve the rest of it without the marks, but this takes quite a long time to get to this point. Here's a pic of #2's back after a couple hours worth of work on the recurve.